Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid on Alonso and Hurtado

SIGI SCHMID(On what makes Alonso so good)
“His defensive instincts are good. He’s got good speed. He’s a lot faster than people realize or think of, when they think of Ozzie. He’s a tough character. He’s a little bit like a terrier-type of dog. He’s going to get in there and he’s going to bite you and scratch you and claw you until he gets that ball back from you. He knows how to use his body well. So when he’s in those duels with people he knows how to get his body in there and come out with the ball. He’s definitely in terms of midfielders in our league, he’s one of top at being able to recover balls in midfield and win balls back for you defensively.”(On Alonso’s league-wide reputation)
“I think he’s getting a lot more love now. I think a lot of people realize and see all the things he does. As he becomes a better passer, he’ll even step up to that next level. That’s for him the next level. We know he knows how to recover the ball and do those things now. Sometimes it’s not where the ball is given away but it’s finding a better option and things like that and that will take him to the next level. But he’s still young and he brings a lot of good quality to our game.”(On Hurtado making a name for himself)
“Obviously, Kennedy was an all star last year, so I think he made a name (for himself) last year. He’s another one who 1 v. 1 defensively is very, very, very good. He’s a great competitor. I love his personality. A forward knows that if he’s going … into a battle with Kennedy he’s in for a battle. He’s in for 90 minutes of work that’s not going to be easy for him.”